New Seasons – Day 14

There are many people who struggle with many crises and trials, and wonder how they can possibly have any hope. All they see is the suffering and the difficulty of the trials they are going through. They do not know how to hope anymore. The writer of Romans understood this, because he explained hope as something that does not come easy. Here, hope is seen as a characteristic of faith that develops in a person. It grows when you cling to God in faith during any trials you experience, no matter how bad things may be. What the writer of Romans is saying, is that the more you persevere, the stronger your faith will be, and the stronger your faith, the stronger your hope. So, despite your trials, it is only when you consistently and persistently believe, that hope grows stronger. Verse 5 says, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

What does hope do to you? The hope in God never disappoints us, because God fulfils all his promises. 2 Corinthians 1:20 teaches us that Jesus Christ is the “yes” to all the promises of God.

Hope is the reward of persevering faith. Even though your trials may not become less or easier, hope gives you a new view of life. The message of hope, that Jesus rose from the dead, makes you someone who has a purpose to live for him. This life with all its trials is not the final life! Hope gives believers a joy that others do not understand. You learn to look at your own circumstances through other eyes and to see Jesus. Hope gives you joy because Jesus lives in you.

Whatever trials you’re going through, may you believe and never give up. And then the hope in you will grow, because the hope in Jesus Christ does not disappoint us; he is risen from the dead!